I missed you
by Crackpairingsarefun
Summary: North stops by one of the many houses where the children don't believe in him... Or so he thought. Even a teenager can want to believe in something,even when they think it doesn't exist.


Christmas Eve.

Well,technically it was about One AM on Christmas day,but many people on this side of the world considered it Christmas Eve still. North had stopped in at one of his last houses,where the the jolly old man wrestled inwardly with a tough decision. To leave presents... or to not.

The children here,they didn't believe in him any more. 'Too old' for Santa Clause. Years before,North had considered leaving gifts for the children that didn't believe in him,marking them 'From Santa'. It hadn't gone over well when he tried it,as it ended with confused parents, and angry children accusing their parents of treating them like 'little kids' or of lying to them. But yet,here he was again,at one of the many homes that no longer believed in him,staring at the Christmas Tree. It was a non-traditional tree,plastic and white,with blue lights. It gave a soft blue glow in the dark room,though it didn't really give any actual sight. North sighed,shifting his weight from foot to foot,lost in thought.

The sound of a creaking door and soft footsteps brought Nick out of his musings, and he turned slightly,watching a teenaged girl,perhaps 18,headed towards the kitchen. The tree was well enough in eyeshot,but North didn't move. The people in this house didn't believe in him anymore after all,so why should he hide? The girl held a cup,moving to fill it in the sink, and North watched, a bit saddened. The girl's eyes flicked up towards the Christmas tree,shocking North with a surprised expression. She rubbed her eyes and squinted behind her glasses. North raised his eyebrows and looked behind him just in case.

"...Santa Clause?" The girl quickly rounded the small wall between the living room where the tree stood and the kitchen,eyebrows furrowed. The man she was looking at was certainly fuzzy,almost transparent,but he was there. North's brows raised even higher than before,his mouth going into a thin line in surprise. "No,No way. Santa isn't real." The girl shook her head,but looked back over at where North was standing. He was still there,though perhaps even more translucent than before. She slowly crept closer,tilting her head. North stood in silence for a moment,then waved.

"Ah,Hello." He gave a crooked smile,and the girl stopped midwalk.

"...Hi." She paused. "Are...you real? Like. Really real?" She smiled crookedly, and North shrugged slightly.

"As real as you think I am." It certainly wasn't a lie,he supposed. He really was as real to her as long as she thought he was real. The girl sifted slightly, and there was an awkward silence.

"... Where were you?" North looked at the teen,surprised. There was another silence before she spoke again. "Where were you when I was little? When my Mom told me you weren't real?" She swallowed slightly,looking to the right before looking back at North. North frowned and the girl continued. "I-I mean... I've spent years thinking you weren't real, and you show up NOW?"

"My child," The Cossack began. "If you did not believe,you would not see me,would you?" Though he had to admit to himself his surprise. These lights had long since gone out.

"W-Well... You're sort of fuzzy. A little bit." She fidgeted. "I don't believe in you... Er. Well I didn't. But I wanted to." She approached him,soon sitting by his feet. North sat as well,ready for a heart to heart. "...So why did you show up now?"

"I show up EVERY year." He smiled a bit. "I never stop visiting the children. Even when I am no longer believed in." He stroked his beard,chuckling a bit. "I still want to bring them the wonder I used to." His smile became more bittersweet. "And yet I cannot move when it comes to houses like yours. The ones who no longer believe in Santa Clause." He shook his head.

"I think deep down,we all want to believe in you." The girl nodded to herself slightly before speaking again. " I wish I was five again all the time. Back then I only had to worry about being on the nice list, and what the Tooth Fairy would leave for me." North grinned,reaching over to ruffle her hair, and she smiled.

"You were always on the nice list." He chuckled,and his hand returned to his knee. The two sat in silence for a bit. "I am sorry." The girl blinked,locking eyes with him. "I am sorry you stopped believing so young. You were seven,correct?" The girl nodded, and North made a 'hm' sound. "Yes... How young."

"Mm. Out of all the people I was told that didn't exist,yours was probably the hardest for me to take." She smiled bitterly. "I missed you that Christmas. It almost wasn't the same. I had fun,though. And perhaps it helped me focus on family a bit more... but I missed you. I did." The girl seemed to blink back tears.

"And I miss all of you,everyday." The two sat in silence after that,staring at the soft blue light of the Christmas tree. The teenager leaned on North,feeling safe,like she was sitting with an old friend.

"Merry Christmas,Santa."

"Merry Christmas."


End file.
